she says). With the exception of some Douglas fir structural beams, all the wood used here
was sourced at Walden.

Other sustainable strategies included
natural ventilation, triple window glazing,
generous roof overhangs, and superinsulation.
But the real challenge was siting the building
to sit lightly on the land without compromising the facility’s need to handle the increasing influx of visitors. Thompson resisted the
temptation to “mimic the narrative form” of
Thoreau’s cabin and instead designed a contemporary work of architecture.

Thompson is also trained as a land-scape architect, and at Walden Pond sheworked with her Harvard mentor, MichaelVan Valkenburgh, and his landscape designfirm, Michael Van Valkenburgh AssociatesInc. of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and NewYork City. “The biggest challenge,” says ChrisMatthews, associate principal at Van Valken-burgh, “was to accommodate the huge num-ber of visitors looking for a good time at thebeach while respecting those who come for atranscendental experience.”This involved manipulating the site itselfto enhance the connection between preserving

;;; ;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;; room rises up to meet
the view toward the pond. The large windows
admit natural light, saving on the need for
artificial illumination. Operable sliding
doors open the room to breezes.